Three local farmers got some good news last week in the form of a state grant — but others in the county and across the state could also use some help.

Three Butler County farms — Penn Township’s Four Seasons Dairy Farm, Middlesex Township’s Harvest Valley Farms and a Clearfield Township beef farmer — each received a $7,500 state Farm Viability Grant, which was included in 2019’s farm bill. An additional 130 farms across 46 counties were awarded the grant.

Although the grant — through which recipients must provide $2,500 in matching funds toward projects they’ll pursue— may seem like pocket change, any little amount likely helps these days.

County farmers have faced numerous trials during the past few years. Last summer’s torrential downpours affected their livelihoods after flooding damaged their crops.

Similar to most businesses in the county and across the nation, the coronavirus epidemic has led to declines in profit for many farms.

Due to schools being closed and restaurants operating at limited capacity for months, some of dairy farms’ largest buyers are requiring significantly less, thereby resulting in the dumping of milk.

Jeff Kennedy, of Four Seasons, said the number of cattle at his farm has been decreased by about one-third due to the pandemic.

Other farmers — such as Art King, of Harvest Valley — said recent dry weather has taken a toll on his farm, forcing him to buy additional equipment and increase hours of labor.

Now, one of the region’s largest annual events — the Butler Farm Show — has been canceled due to COVID-19, and the farm show board’s president said this will have a major financial impact. The event was one of the year’s best opportunities for local farmers to advertise what they offer.

In other words, some farmers in Butler County and across the state face an uncertain future. Due to events out of their control — from county flooding to a nationwide pandemic — local farmers have struggled against the odds to keep their operations profitable.

Some farmers have complained that federal policies have made it harder for them. In response, legislators at the state level should consider new ways to ease their pain — everything from subsidies and forgivable loans to postponing farm debt obligations have been floated as ideas by farm industry leaders.

We’re glad to see state grants — such as the Farm Viability Grant — being made available. But more needs to be done.